TV REVIEW: MARVEL ZOMBIES - Season 1

4/5

World War Z.C.U.

4 Episodes. Starring: Iman Vellani, Dominique Thorne, Hailee Steinfeld, Kerry Condon, Kenna Ramsey, Todd Williams, Kari Wahlgren, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Randall Park, Feodor Chin, Wyatt Russell, Rama Vallury, Elizabeth Olsen, Hudson Thames, Paul Rudd, Greg Furman, Adam Hugill, Daniel Swain, Sheila Atim, Tessa Thompson, F. Murray Abraham & Zenobia Shroff. Created By: Bryan Andrews & Zeb Wells. On: Disney +.

Halloween has come early, like the horror special of 'Werewolf By Night' for Marvel Television, with Marvel Animation's 'Marvel Zombies'. Continuing their episodic 'What If...' comic book adaptation of the undead graphic novel legend, fresh-off the 'Eyes Of Wakanda' in August, after the likes of 'Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man' and the 'X-Men '97' redux, flipped the script pages for Phase Six of the M.C.U. And we sure hope this four-part miniseries from Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells sees a second season, like a 'Born Again' Daredevil in a classic calendar for Kevin Feige, featuring the big-three of 'Captain America: Brave New World', 'Thunderbolts*' and the 'Fantastic Four: First Steps. All as a horde of a vocal cast (Iman Vellani, Dominique Thorne, Hailee Steinfeld, Kerry Condon, Kenna Ramsey, Todd Williams, Kari Wahlgren, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Randall Park, Feodor Chin, Wyatt Russell, Rama Vallury, Elizabeth Olsen, Hudson Thames, Paul Rudd, Greg Furman, Adam Hugill, Daniel Swain, Sheila Atim, Tessa Thompson, F. Murray Abraham and Zenobia Shroff) makes for a zombie land universe in the M.C.U. with more bite.

No longer champing at the bit, after the madness of many multiverses, although Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda is back on it again with Maximoff effort, the comics are getting cohesive again, as if Jeffrey Wright was watching. This horror superhero zombie apocalypse allows for more things from the cells that the CGI of the green screen would simply end up making look like M.O.D.O.K. in this 'Quantumnaia', as hilarious, albeit underrated, as that was. Case in point, when the walking dead run free in San Francisco, grander than the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to an explosion of Pym particles. You're going to need more than ten rings for that in the comic crossover we've been waiting for in California. That's right, your favourite karaoke duo of Simu Liu and Awkwafina reunite and from a 'Mad Max' meets 'Fast and Furious' band of road warrior rebels that also features favourite Randall Park and Feodor Chin. Hitching a familiar raft, they meet Baron Zemo and his American Agent, Wyatt Russell. But before all that, we have a few more Thunderbolts with an asterisk to assemble now Iron Man has a plush teddy bear for a head and Captain America is a Skrull minus the 'R'.

The big-three of Captain Marvel's Iman Vellani (fresh off 'The Marvels'), Dominique Thorne (booted up after her 'Iron Heart' hot girl Summer) and Hailee Steinfeld (continuing the undead theme after starring with two Killmongers in this year's 'Sinners') form a superfriends group worthy of The New Avengers. But it's when they meet Florence Pugh and David Harbour's new family team that things get really interesting. Especially when we finally get to see Blade, aside from Wesley Snipes' cameo last calendar. No, star of the development hell and undead delayed movie, Mahershala Ali does not voice the cool character, but it's his likeness, and the hand-to-hand combat will have you cracking your knuckles for more. His Blade Knight mix with the moon of F. Murray Abraham's Khonshu is a nice mix and twist, too. This epic ensemble dystopia also features Tessa Thompson, Paul Rudd and Kerry Condon's F.R.I.D.A.Y. Even 'Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man' Hudson Thames crosses over in the absence of Tom Holland, currently having a 'Brand New Day'. They have an Infinity Hulk, nods to Marvel movies with a "what if" twist, and even a fitting tribute to the late, great Chadwick Boseman. Marvel lore and legend forever. It remains undead across the multiverses. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'What If...?', 'Eyes Of Wakanda', 'Werewolf By Night'.